Platform for the storage, transport and handling of drilling or prospection rods of different lengths and diameters

ABSTRACT

A platform for drilling rods that enables the accommodation of rods of different lengths and diameters, the autonomous loading and unloading of the platform, and the automatic, autonomous and remote handling of the rods, comprising a chassis or structure ( 2 ) having a container-type base ( 3 ) with one open upper side ( 6 ), defining a housing for rods ( 7 ), with at least one extendable and/or movable support ( 8 ) in order to horizontally dispose the platform in different positions, comprising dividing or separating elements ( 10 ) for columns of rods (A) configured so that at least one, on being moved with regard to another in order to increase the opening between adjacent dividing elements so as to increase the space between said adjacent dividing elements ( 10 ) and to define a space to accommodate rods of greater diameters or vice versa, and a remote handling, grasping and/or hoisting mechanism ( 14 ) such as a combination of a displaceable carriage ( 15 ) and a lifting scissor ( 21 ).

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is comprised within the field of equipment used in drilling or prospection during mineral exploration processes. Specifically, the invention relates to an autonomous platform for the transport and handling of drilling rods.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Drilling or prospection defines one of the final stages of a mineral exploration process, providing most of the information for the final evaluation to determine if the prospect is economically exploitable. The optimization of drilling operations is fundamental to achieve lower costs for more meters of advances, fewer personnel in operations to reduce occupational risks, to increase equipment availability and to eliminate long maintenance trips.

The handling of rods in drilling processes involves a series of operational risks, which further requires a large number of operators given the lack of automation for the tasks involved in said process, where personnel is required to load the rods into a hopper or onto a platform, for the selection and fixing of the rods in the drilling platforms, and to subsequently disassemble and stockpile used rods.

At present, although there are technologies that enable the automation of certain steps related to the handling of rods in a drilling process, which partially solve the existing problems and needs, such as automated solutions for taking and transferring the rods to the drilling equipment, or coupling the rods, there is still a lack of technical autonomy in all the operations that involve the handling and management of rods in the entire drilling process.

Currently, the most traditional method used in the handling and feeding of drilling rods involves a semi-manual process, where the drilling rods are stored and transported in hoppers from which they must be moved to the drilling machine, which is carried out by means of robotic arms or winches which enable this operation to be carried out by means of the assistance of a series of operators.

A number of pieces of equipment and technologies have now been developed in the art to enable the automation of certain steps in the handling of drilling rods string, such as that described in patent document US 2010104401 (Hopkins James, et al.) published on 29/04/2010, which describes a system including a rack with rows for storing drill pipe, and a moveable structure having a control support coupled to an upper portion and a lifting device coupled to a lower portion. The moveable structure travels along a guide for positioning adjacent any of the rows. The control support includes a pivoting actuator, a rotating actuator, an extension arm having a drill pipe capture actuator, and an extension actuator. The lifting device includes a lifting actuator that raises a stack of drill pipe. The system further includes a controller that interprets a control support state including actuator positions and a position index value, and records a position description including the control support state corresponding to the position index value. The controller interprets a position request signal and provides actuator control signals in response to the position request signal and the position description.

Patent document CN 105569584 (China Petroleum & Chem Corp.) with publication date Nov. 05, 2016, describes a device and a method for oil pipe automatic discharge. The device mainly comprises a discharge pipe assembly. The discharge pipe assembly comprises a discharge pipe assembly supporting frame and a grabbing hand, where the discharge pipe assembly supporting frame is provided with the linear operation mechanisms in three directions of X, Y, and Z. The tail end of the Z axis is provided with a rotation mechanism. The grabbing hand is connected with the rotation mechanism on the tail end of the Z axis and can do rectilinear motion along three directions of X, Y, and Z. The grabbing hand can also rotate for a certain angle under the action of the rotation mechanism. The discharge pipe assembly is also provided with a cross arm cabinet used to stack cross arms.

The solutions proposed and currently used for the managing and handling of rods in an automatic way enable platforms to be provided for the stockpiling of drilling rods that can be transported with their maximum capacity of rods, being able to be loaded onto and unloaded automatically from a transport truck at full capacity. They also have elements that enable the lashing of the stockpiled rods, minimizing the possibility of movement or falling of the rods. The platforms disclosed in the prior art comprise systems that enable remote control, as well as robotic arms with means that enable covering all the possibilities of rotation to feed the drilling equipment, and where the clamping means that secure and fix the rod in the pipe carrier enable carrying each rod from the platform to the rig or vice versa, by means of a repetitive movement that requires being operated by qualified personnel.

Documents from the prior art consider automatic solutions for the handling of rods; however, said equipment or platforms alone do not have the capacity of selecting rods of different diameters, nor do they enable the coupling and automatic alignment of the rods with one another in the drilling equipment.

Therefore, there is a need in the art to provide a platform for the transport and handling of mine drilling rods, the configuration of which enables the automatic transport and handling of rods of different diameters, which enables the transport, feeding and alignment of rods of different diameters that are required in a drilling machine in an autonomous, automatic and remote manner without the direct handling of the rods by operators.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The main object of the invention relates to providing a platform for drilling rods, the configuration of which enables the accommodation of drilling rods of different lengths and diameters, according to a specific drilling program, which enable safely transferring said rods to the drilling rig, and the configuration of which enables the autonomous loading and unloading of the platform, offering greater possibilities and versatility in terms of locating same contiguous and/or adjacent to the drilling rig, without the need to use additional equipment for the location thereof.

Another objective of the invention is to provide a platform for drilling rods, the configuration of which enables the automatic, autonomous and remote handling, without the direct intervention of operators, of the drilling rods from said platform for being fed to a drilling rig and vice versa, in such a way that reduces the risks for the personnel, as well as makes the operation more versatile and efficient, and reduces operation times.

The invention relates to platform for drilling rods, the configuration of which enables adjustment to accommodate drilling rods of different lengths and/or diameters, according to a drilling program, enables handling in its positioning adjacent to the drilling rig in a safe and autonomous manner, and comprising a means that enables the grasping, displacement and/or delivery of a drilling rod to a rod handling arm, so that it can be delivered to and/or removed from a drilling rig, without the direct intervention of operators in the handling thereof, which achieves the automation and remote actuation of said operation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Various non-limiting embodiments of the present invention will be described to provide a general understanding of its principles of structural function, manufacture and use of the apparatus, methods and articles described in the present description. One or more examples of these non-limiting embodiments are illustrated in the attached figures. Those skilled in the art would understand that the apparatus and methods specifically described in the present description and illustrated in the attached figures are illustrative non-limiting embodiments and that the scope of the various non-limiting embodiments of the present invention is defined solely by the claims. The features illustrated or described in conjunction with one non-limiting embodiment may be combined with the features of other non-limiting embodiments. Such modifications and variations are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The patent or application file contains at least one drawing executed in color. Copies of this patent or patent application publication with color drawing(s) will be provided by the Office upon request and payment of the necessary fee.

In order to help better understand the features of the invention according to a preferred practical embodiment thereof, a set of illustrative and non-limiting drawings depicting the invention is attached as an integral part of the description.

FIG. 1 corresponds to a top perspective view of the platform for drilling rods according to the invention.

FIG. 2 corresponds to a side perspective view of the platform for drilling rods according to the invention.

FIG. 3 corresponds to a perspective view of a cross-section showing in detail a side end of the platform for drilling rods according to the invention.

FIG. 4 corresponds to a front view of FIG. 3 .

FIG. 5 corresponds to a perspective view of the displacement carriage of the platform for drilling rods according to the invention.

FIG. 5A corresponds to an exploded perspective view of the displacement carriage of the platform for drilling rods according to the invention.

FIG. 6 corresponds to an exploded perspective view showing a detail of the different elements comprised in the displacement carriage of the platform for drilling rods, according to the invention.

FIG. 7 corresponds to a perspective view of the platform for drilling rods located on one side of the drilling rig with the handling arm.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

The invention corresponds to a platform for the transport and handling of rods (1) for drilling or prospection, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 , comprising a chassis or structure (2) having a container-type base (3), side walls (4) and end walls (5), and with one open upper side (6), defining a housing for drilling rods (7). The chassis or structure (2) of the platform comprises a framework of profiles attached to one another, which can be configured as an open lattice or else be closed by a mesh or another closure element, where the base, side walls and/or end walls thereof can furthermore be open.

The base comprises at least one support (8), such as an extendable and/or movable leg (9) that enables the disposition of the platform in different positions with respect to a horizontal height, such that it can be loaded onto and/or unloaded from a means of transport in an autonomous manner. Furthermore, said at least one extendable leg (9) enables horizontal levelling at different heights, and it also enables the adjustment of the platform to the various irregularities which the ground where the drilling platform is located may comprise. Said extendable legs (9) can be operated manually and/or automatically, such as, for example, through a hydraulic, mechanical and/or electric actuator, among others.

The drilling rods (A) are stockpiled inside the platform in multiple rows and columns, (FIGS. 3 and 4 ), where columns or rows of drilling rods of different diameters can be stockpiled, according to a predetermined drilling program. One of the end walls comprises at least one dividing element (10) for columns of rods of different diameters, the horizontal distance of which can be adjusted, which are configured in at least one of the end walls (5) of the chassis (2) of the platform (1). At least one of the end walls (5) is configured as an element of the chassis (2) with sliding profiles or beams which slide with respect to beams or profiles of the base (3) of the chassis in such a way so as to enable the longitudinal displacement of said at least one end wall (5) with respect to the opposite end wall, so as to thereby increase the longitudinal distance between end walls, to accommodate rods of different lengths.

The dividing or separating elements (10) for the columns of drilling rods accommodated in the platform can be moved with respect to one another in order to increase the opening between adjacent dividing elements, so as to enable increasing the space between said adjacent dividing elements (10) to define a space that can accommodate rods of greater diameters or vice versa. The at least one dividing element (10) comprises a core (11) extending vertically through said at least one end wall (5) and comprises a fixing means (12), such as a pinion, for example, that enables said dividing element to move through, for example, a longitudinal toothed means (13) disposed in at least one beam or another element of the structure of at least said end wall (5), so as to thereby enable the configuration of columns of drilling rods of different diameters.

The platform further comprises at least one grasping, hoisting and/or displacement mechanism (14) for the drilling rods contained inside the platform (1) (FIGS. 1, 5, 5A, 6 ) and disposed in the different columns of rods forming the dividing elements (10). As illustrated in FIGS. 5, 5A, 6 , the grasping, hoisting and/or displacement mechanism (14) is configured as a movable and/or displaceable support carriage (15), which is disposed horizontally over the upper opening of the platform (1), above the combination of stored rods. The support carriage (15) is formed by a framework of profiles attached to one another, configuring a displaceable structure (16) relative to the chassis or structure (2) of the platform. Said structure (16) comprises at least two side profiles (17) parallel to and spaced from one another, and at least two end profiles (18) parallel to and spaced from one another. At least one of the side profiles (17) is configured as a displacement guide (19) formed by at least two adjacent elements parallel to and separated from one another. There is attached and/or fixed to said displacement guide (19) at least one hoisting means (20) for hoisting drilling rods, which is configured as a lifting scissor (21) formed by articulation plates (22), attached to one another through at least one central shaft (23), where at one of the ends (24) thereof said lifting scissor (21) is attached and/or fixed in a movable manner through a shaft (25) to said displacement guide (19), and where the opposite end (24) comprises a displacement means (26) attached to said displacement guide (19), said displacement means (26) consisting of a carriage (27) with wheels (28) and a lug (29) attached through a shaft (30) to the end of at least one of the articulation plates (22) of the lifting scissor (21). The displacement means (26) is moved by the operation of a mechanical, hydraulic and/or electric actuator so as to be displaced through said displacement guide (19) and enable deployment of the lifting scissor (21) perpendicular to the support carriage (15). The opposite ends (31) of said articulation plates (22) are attached and/or fixed to a lifting rod support (32) through a displacement means (33) attached to at least one displacement guide (34) fixed to the lifting rod (32), said displacement means (33) consisting of a carriage (35) with wheels (36) and a lug (37) attached to the end of the articulation plates (22) of the lifting scissor (21) through a shaft (38), and on the opposite side, the articulation plates are attached to said lifting rod (32) through a rotatable shaft (39). The ends of the lifting rod (32) comprise slidable lifting clamps (40), which are operated through a mechanical, hydraulic and/or electric actuator (41) attached to said lifting rod (32) that enables the displacement of said lifting clamp (40) from the ends.

The end profiles (18) that are part of the displaceable structure (16) of the support carriage (15) comprise displacement means (42) that enable the movement or sliding of the support carriage (15) laterally from its location on the platform (1) in which the columns of drilling rods are contained. The at least one displacement means (42) comprises a drive motor (43), a drive pinion (44) which is connected to at least one pulley element (45), which transmits a movement by means of a pinion shaft (46) to a displacement means (42’) located in the profile of the opposite end (18), in such a way that the support carriage (15) moves in a paired fashion. The entire combination is attached in a movable manner to a guide element (47) (see FIG. 1 ) projecting vertically from the upper open surface of the platform. The support carriage (15) comprises a displacement stop element that enables the precise locating of said support carriage (15) on the column of rods (A), so as to take a rod through the operation of the lifting rod (32) comprised in the lifting scissor (21).

In operation, the platform for the transport and handling of rods (1) for drilling or prospection is filled with drilling rods (A) of different diameters according to a pre-established drilling program, being filled with rods of different diameters in a location that is predetermined and defined by the space that is generated between two adjacent dividing elements (10), whereby creating columns of drilling rods of different diameters based on the drilling program. Once said operation has been performed, the platform is lifted autonomously through its slidable legs (9) to locate the platform at least at a height such that a truck ramp can pass below same. The slidable legs (9) are then operated again until the platform is lowered to rest by its base (3) on the truck ramp to be transported to the drilling platform in the field.

The configuration and shape of the platform (1) for rods enables it to be positioned contiguous and/or adjacent to the drilling rig (TP), in any direction and/or location (see FIG. 7 ), because the fact that it comprises slidable legs (9) on one side of the platform structure, projecting from the sides of a truck, enables the autonomous unloading thereof, such that the truck can be positioned for unloading adjacent and/or contiguous to the drilling rig, with the legs (9) of the platform (1) being displaced so as to lift same over the truck ramp, in order for the latter to leave said position with the platform being adjacent to the drilling rig, without the need for handling by a crane or through other means for locating same contiguous to the drilling rig, as is normally done in practice in the art. The legs (9) of the platform are then operated again so as to be located at a desired height.

Once the operations of positioning the platform in its appropriate location have been performed, drilling rods (A) are fed to the drilling rig, for which purpose, according to a drilling program, an operator operates the support carriage (15) to the position of a column of rods (A) of a predefined diameter, operating the lifting scissor (21) so that it can be deployed until the lifting rod (32) rests on a rod, where the lifting clamps (40) are operated by automatic and/or manual means in order to be introduced into the ends of the drilling rod (A) which is being taken, such that once the lifting clamps (40) are secured, the lifting scissor (21) is operated again to be retracted to the support carriage (15), lifting the drilling rod (A), being firmly supported through the lifting clamps (40) and the lifting rod (32), then transferring it by means of the slidable operation of the support carriage (15) to one of the sides of the platform (1) for rods. Once the lifting scissor (21) is located on the side of the platform (1) it is operated again by hydraulic, mechanical and/or electric means, deploying it, making the lifting rod (32) descend, taking the drilling rod (A) with it so that it can be delivered to a rod handling arm (48) which grasps the drilling rod (A).

The mode of operation described above can also be performed in reverse, i.e., to accommodate a drilling rod (A) in the drilling platform (1) when the drilling operation is finished, and the drilling rods are removed from the drill hole.

As shown in FIG. 7 , the drilling rod handling arm (48) is attached to the drilling rig through at least one base (49), the configuration of which enables the locating of said handling arm in different orientations or directions, so that it can be located adjacent to the platform (1) for rods in order to transfer the rods to the rig or to the platform (1) for rods.

The fact that the platform (1) comprises an adjustable rod separation system, such as dividing elements (10) for columns of drilling rods (A), as well as a remote handling, grasping and/or hoisting system, such as the combination of the sliding carriage (15) and lifting scissors (21), enables the disposition and handling of drilling rods of different sizes and/or diameters for feeding to a drilling rig, according to a predetermined drilling program, automatically and remotely, without the personnel directly handling the drilling rods (A), since from the need to take a drilling rod (A) for feeding to the drilling rig, as well as from the need to take the drilling rod from the drilling rig to be stored in said platform for rods, the intervention of and/or handling by operators is not required, since the entire process is carried out automatically and remotely by means of control systems. This configuration makes the process more efficient by making the method more agile, faster and safer, thus optimizing the drilling process in general, reducing operational costs.

While the form of the platform (1) for drilling rods described herein constitutes a preferred inclusion of this invention, it must be understood that the invention is not limited to this precise form of the platform and that changes can be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention defined in the attached claims. 

1. Platform (1) for the storage, transport and handling of drilling or prospection rods (A) of different lengths and diameters, characterized in that it comprises a chassis or structure (2) having a container-type base (3), side walls (4) and end walls (5), and with one open upper side (6), defining a housing for drilling rods (7), with at least one extendable and/or movable support (8) that enables the disposition of the platform in different positions with respect to a horizontal height, and comprising dividing or separating elements (10) for columns of drilling rods (A) configured for at least one to be moved with respect to another in order to increase the opening between adjacent dividing elements, so as to enable increasing the space between said adjacent dividing elements (10) to define a space that can accommodate rods of greater diameters or vice versa, as well as a remote handling, grasping and/or hoisting mechanism (14), such as the combination of a displaceable carriage (15) and a lifting scissor (21).
 2. Platform (1) for the storage, transport and handling of drilling or prospection rods (A) according to claim 1, characterized in that said at least one dividing element (10) is configured in at least one of the end walls (5) of the chassis (2), and where at least one of the end walls (5) is configured as an element of the chassis (2) with sliding profiles or beams which slide with respect to beams or profiles of the base (3) of the chassis in such a way so as to enable the displacement of said at least one end wall (5) longitudinally with respect to the opposite end wall, so as to thereby increase the longitudinal distance between end walls, to accommodate rods of different lengths.
 3. Platform (1) for the storage, transport and handling of drilling or prospection rods (A) according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one dividing element (10) comprises a core (11) extending vertically through said at least one end wall (5) and comprises a fixing means (12), such as a pinion for example, that enables said dividing element to move through at least one longitudinal toothed means (13) disposed in at least one beam or another element of the structure of at least said end wall (5).
 4. Platform (1) for the storage, transport and handling of drilling or prospection rods (A) according to claim 1, characterized in that the grasping, hoisting and/or displacement mechanism (14) is configured as a movable and/or displaceable support carriage (15), which is disposed horizontally over the upper opening of the platform (1), above the combination of stored rods.
 5. Platform (1) for the storage, transport and handling of drilling or prospection rods (A) according to claim 1, characterized in that the support carriage (15) is formed by a framework of profiles attached to one another, configuring a displaceable structure (16) relative to the chassis or structure (2) of the platform and comprising at least two side profiles (17) parallel to and spaced from one another, and at least two end profiles (18) parallel to and spaced from one another.
 6. Platform (1) for the storage, transport and handling of drilling or prospection rods (A) according to claim 1, characterized in that the end profiles (18) comprise displacement means (42) that enable the movement or sliding of the support carriage (15) laterally from its location on the platform (1).
 7. Platform (1) for the storage, transport and handling of drilling or prospection rods (A) according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one of the side profiles (17) is configured as a displacement guide (19) formed by at least two adjacent elements parallel to and separated from one another.
 8. Platform (1) for the storage, transport and handling of drilling or prospection rods (A) according to claim 1, characterized in that there is attached and/or fixed to said displacement guide (19) at least one hoisting means (20) for hoisting drilling rods, which is configured as said lifting scissor (21).
 9. Platform (1) for the storage, transport and handling of drilling or prospection rods (A) according to claim 1, characterized in that said lifting scissor (21) comprises at least one lifting rod (32) which comprises at the ends thereof slidable lifting clamps (40) which are operated through a mechanical, hydraulic and/or electric actuator (41) attached to said lifting rod (32) that enables the displacement of said lifting clamp (40) from the ends.
 10. Platform (1) for the storage, transport and handling of drilling or prospection rods (A) according to claim 1, characterized in that said lifting scissor (21) is configured by articulation plates (22) attached to one another through at least one central shaft (23), where at one of the ends (24) thereof said lifting scissor (21) is attached and/or fixed in a movable manner through a shaft (25) to said displacement guide (19), and where the opposite end (24) comprises a displacement means (26) attached to said displacement guide (19), said displacement means (26) consisting of a carriage (27) with wheels (28) and a lug (29) attached to the end of at least one of the articulation plates (22) of the lifting scissor (21) through a shaft (30).
 11. Platform (1) for the storage, transport and handling of drilling or prospection rods (A) according to claim 10, characterized in that the displacement means (26) is moved by the operation of a mechanical, hydraulic and/or electric actuator.
 12. Platform (1) for the storage, transport and handling of drilling or prospection rods (A) according to claim 10, characterized in that the opposite ends (31) of said articulation plates (22) are attached and/or fixed to a lifting rod support (32) through a displacement means (33) attached to at least one displacement guide (34) fixed to the lifting rod (32), said displacement means (33) consisting of a carriage (35) with wheels (36) and a lug (37) attached to the end of the articulation plates (22) of the lifting scissor (21) through a shaft (38), and on the opposite side the articulation plates are attached to said lifting rod (32) through a rotatable shaft (39).
 13. Platform (1) for the storage, transport and handling of drilling or prospection rods (A) according to claim 6, characterized in that the at least one displacement means (42) comprises a drive motor (43), a drive pinion (44) which is connected to at least one pulley element (45), which transmits a movement by means of a pinion shaft (46) to a displacement means (42′) located in the profile of the opposite end (18), in such a way that the support carriage (15) moves in a paired fashion, and where the entire combination is attached in a movable manner to a guide element (47) projecting from the upper open surface of the platform.
 14. Platform (1) for the storage, transport and handling of drilling or prospection rods (A) according to claim 1, characterized in that the support carriage (15) comprises a displacement stop element that enables the precise locating of said support carriage (15) on the column of rods (A), so as to take a rod through the operation of the lifting rod (32) comprised in the lifting scissor (21). 